High Court Eases Burden
Of Infringement Defense

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court, overturning an appeals-court ruling, made it more difficult for a company to sue a competitor over certain trademark infringements.

In a unanimous ruling, the justices said a company defending against charges that it infringed on a trademark by using a similar one doesn't have the burden of disproving that the alleged infringement confused consumers. Defendants need only show that they used the...